This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
As will be appreciated, oil and natural gas have a profound effect on modern economies and societies. Indeed, devices and systems that depend on oil and natural gas are ubiquitous. For instance, oil and natural gas are used for fuel in a wide variety of vehicles, such as cars, airplanes, boats, and the like. Further, oil and natural gas are frequently used to heat homes during winter, to generate electricity, and to manufacture an astonishing array of everyday products.
In order to meet the demand for such natural resources, companies often invest significant amounts of time and money in searching for and extracting oil, natural gas, and other subterranean resources from the earth. Particularly, once a desired resource is discovered below the surface of the earth, drilling and production systems are often employed to access and extract the resource. These systems may be located onshore or offshore depending on the location of a desired resource. Further, such systems generally include a wellhead assembly through which the resource is extracted. These wellhead assemblies may include a wide variety of components, such as various casings, hangers, valves, fluid conduits, and the like, that control drilling and/or extraction operations.
In some drilling and production systems, hangers, such as a tubing hanger, may be used to suspend strings (e.g., piping for various flows in and out of the well) of the well. Such hangers are disposed in a spool (also referred to as a bowl). In addition to suspending strings inside the wellhead assembly, the hangers provide sealing capabilities to seal the interior of the wellhead assembly and strings from pressure inside the wellhead assembly. In some systems, pressure from above or below the hanger may cause movement of the hanger in the wellhead. The hanger movement may put pressure on other components, such as landing shoulders or seals. Additionally, any adjustability of the hanger may compromise the ability of the hanger to provide sealing during operation of the wellhead assembly.